Shooting Film

Added on by John Sturr.

When I was home over Thanksgiving I found some rolls of my past Fathers unshot film on his shelf - Kodakcolor 200, expired of course, as it was dated 2004.

And the idea of shooting this film came upon me.  At first I thought how nutty - and then the idea started to simmer a bit - and I became “film curious” again.

The last time I shot film was at ISU for an intro photo class.  It was quite the pain in the ass to say the least - but I slogged thru and worked the challenges.  Developing the B/W rolls was the easy part - but the most difficult was the printing in a communal setting.  I didn’t like that very much.

So - I dug out the FM-2, motordrive and 50mm f1.4.

“The Medium is the Message” — Marshall McLuhan.  

Aside from the most obvious difference, the film, Autofocus is the most game changing function of today’s systems.  AF was introduced on the Nikon pro side with the F4 - although some F3’s had a cobbed together system, it has allowed my technique to become abbreviated with a better outcome.

It would be difficult for me to use a non-AF system and still be relevant.

The shooting experience was about the same with the caveat that one must be able to trust their equipment as there is no “chimping”.  Development was a crap shoot - as it was done at the local grocery store but as luck would have it there is a nationally known lab close to SLC in Orem called theFind (Film Is Not Dead) - go figure.

This isn’t a cheap endeavor though - not counting the film, development was $12 - and at a theFind that would be about $22.

All in all it was an interesting experience - and I would be really interested in shooting Ilford Delta 3200 on an F5.  Until then I may just do this on the FM-2.

the Chickens

Added on by John Sturr.

At the time these were taken - mid October, I didn’t give them much thought - but I had the idea the complicated scenes “may” come out as something decent.  So I tromped out and took pictures of chickens in Twin Falls, Idaho; my Brother-in-Law’s place.

All were shot with the V1 and the 18.5mm (50mm equivalent) and most times I don’t second guess my lens choices and stay with one.  Most of the time it is for convenience, but then the convenience factor becomes a creative factor.  It is what it is.

Upon developing I used Nikon ViewNX, as the NX-d kept crashing and I didn’t need NX-d’s noise correction.  After cooking them out I brought them into LR-5 for the lens corrections.  Since these were all web - I pushed to .jpg vs. .tiff and cooked them out again in LR in order to watermark.

All corrections were in ViewNX and the color profile was a factory Vivid or Portrait with a boost in contrast - Sharpening is a bit powerful in ViewNX so I keep the slider at 2-4 depending on what the image can absorb and rarely do I go past 5.

It’s kindof a pain - but that’s the work flow.

The more I look at these the more I love them - the framing, the subject, the colors - not trying to toot my own horn here - but it’s taken me years to be able to view my own work and consider it viable as decent and something to share.  I maybe print one or two of these 13x19 on aluminum.

 

 

I guess the lesson learned here is being able to force the capture of the photo.  I had no intention of taking pics of chickens that day — none.  But I had the gear - and some how - I came away with some interesting images.

A walk of a non-descript street

Added on by John Sturr.

Sometimes recognizing the scene is half the battle - and visualizing the result is the final outcome of that exercise.  And thats when all of the photos take in the past - become an asset of the present.  Whew -- ok -- enough with the heady -- here's the picture.

Nikon 1 V1

Still stuck on Vegas

Added on by John Sturr.

This is a favorite - the juxtaposition of the pile of boats with the modern forms is so bizarre.  So bizarre you almost don't even realize they are there in your midst.  It's just a blob - which comes to life upon closer inspection.

No Crop.

Nikon 1 V1, 30-110mm

A different Mood

Added on by John Sturr.

Time to lighten the mood and bring out a cat picture again - yep - I’m going there, probably against other’s better judgement.  I’ve said this before but if you can use the family pet as a simulator for the stress of being in the moment of shooting - there will always be something to take/learn from it.

Why - Because these subjects take no direction, can’t be predicted, and are never static enough to really get what you want from them.  Hmm…. sounds like other situations I’ve been in.

So go ahead and practice - you may not want to post - and that’s ok as your skills for when they are really needed will be there during the stressful times.

No Crop.

Nikon 1 V1

Nikon 1 V1

Tall 12

Added on by John Sturr.

This is some different content - an everyday scene which may draw some interest from those on the outside. It's funny how that sometimes happens; what you may think is crazy boring - becomes something else to another.

Right in front

Added on by John Sturr.

As I was walking toward the Las Vegas City Center and concentrating on the far forms ahead of me I realized of what was right in front.  The woven fence became compelling once realized - and isn't it odd that many things are like that.  Meaning many things become lost as in the saying;  the forest for the trees.

Nikon 1 V1

My V1 Thoughts -

Added on by John Sturr.


This is just some of my thoughts - I'm not a toot my own horn type, but I thought I would share as I always like it when others do the same.  

The 1 series is a 50/50 mix of good and bad, and as someone has said, the cameras of late are so good now that the fault lies with the photographer.  That being said - I'll never post my missed shots, out of focus, or the ones I wish were better - I always post the best stuff making it look too easy.  But everyone should know better that it really isn't that easy.

Making/taking good photos is a lot of work, yet sometimes I get lucky and I'm at the right place at the right time, with the right light, with a camera - iPhone or otherwise - I get the photo and then look like a rock-star.  That’s always awesome - and how can you not love awesome.

Most of my shooting is for my own pleasure - but I do market myself as a self taught architectural photographer.

I'm shooting the V1 as of late - for 16 months - with the 10-30, 18.5, 6.7-13, and 30-110mm - my other system is D3s.

I wish the lenses were faster on the 1,  as I find myself constantly shooting the 18.5 for the f1.8, but lately the telephoto and zoom focal lengths have really forced me to develop a different style - a different way to see, and I’m liking that.

Nikon gear (FM-2) was a  hand-me-down from my Father and that’s where it all started.  But my first digital was the D2h - where I cut my teeth to make that system successfully hum.  I remember the banter between those who had the megapixels of the D2x and those who had the rendering of the D2h fight it out, i.e. “it’s not the megapixels, it’s the sensor”… .”

And here were are today — and unusually enough, I’m in the same situation.

What do I most like of the V1 - the sensor has the same rendering at the D3s - it’s all Nikon.  Dynamic range is a bit lacking but I’ve never really shot for hi-dynamic range. A slightly blown out photo reminds me of the organic nature of what we are all viewing.

NEF images coming out of the V1 hardly need to be touched - slight sharpening, and maybe a 1/2 stop exposure adjustment is usually all I need - else I’m doing something terribly wrong.  I’ll vary between Portrait and Vivd and always shoot NEF.

I try to do all my development in ViewNX2 and any lens corrections in LightRoom.  ViewNX2 squeezes that extra 10-20% out of the NEF.  And I always find that extra bit surprising when comparing LR to ViewNX2.  If ViewNX2 had robust lens correction I would be hooked.  As I write this I hopped over to NX-D and was pleasantly surprised but at the same time frustrated with the interface - but the noise reduction is welcomed.

AF is lighting fast - it will still miss some shots, but not that often - and after shooting the V1 I’m almost afraid to compare it to or try anything else.

The lenses are very sharp - slow, but very sharp.

About 80% of my shooting is outdoors and the other 20% is indoors.  But when indoors I’m using the best light gathering lens which is the 18.5 (50mm equilv.) because of the crop factor.

Searching for and experimenting with all of this hardware has given me 1 thing.  The ability to recognize the “possibility” of a good/great photo.  That’s all.  And since this is digital I’ve been able to compress that amount of time spent with film to probably 1 tenth of what it takes to do that.  I’ve been on digital since 2006.

I try not to get hung up on the hardware - of course it is difficult not too though.

The V1 will give me a native res print of 9” x 12” and I may up-rez a few photos to 12” x 18” but that’s my limit for framing, else I’m printing on frameless aluminum.

So that’s my story - so far.  Oh - and for some reason, I’m on a BW kick.

This -- is Vegas

Added on by John Sturr.

This — is Vegas — and I’ve been chomping at the bit to get this posted, (taken in early Sept.) but I wanted to wait to get them all registered first.  

This - and more to come - remind me of the likes of Hedrich Blessing with the BW and the mid-day light and crazy strong forms.  I try to plan everything I shoot, predict the sun, and hopefully eventually show up at the right time.  If this is client based work - that’s a given - if this is vacation time, well, I try to do my best for planets to align.  This was vacation time.

As I struggle to find the right camera and lens system - I am reminded of results such as this.  And that’s not meaning to say that I’m tooting my own horn here - but it is meant to say that I can squeeze satisfying results out of a 1” sensor and a challenging (slow) set of lenses from the Nikon 1 V1.

Stylistically this is a departure from what I usually shoot.  I have always shot wide - to encompass all of the subject - but lately I’ve been influenced by the photographer LaRoque and his style.  It has really gripped me, and I’m going to explore more of the telephoto type field of view.

With that — This — is Vegas.

Nion 1 V1 - 30-110m

High West

Added on by John Sturr.

Here’s a photo of opportunity - sitting for dinner at a distillery in Park City, Utah - High West - some in this group may have even experienced their award winning Whiskey, but I digress.  This was a matter of great light, and shinny objects - and I can’t lie - I’m a sucker for those also.  This is basically out of camera - with sharpening but NEF. 

ViewNX - when I can get away with not having to lens correct is the editor of choice - the secret “color” sauce is very, very welcomed.  I wish LR 5 had the magic.  LR gives me about 90% of what Nikon’s software produces.  Too bad it is always the last 10% which determines the good stuff.

I’m always torn with the V1 system - as I wish the lenses were faster - as now I’m thinking of going B/W and pegging it a 1600 ASA, and just going to town and seeing what happens.  If anything it will provide a new perspective - and that is always welcome.

Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm 

Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm

 

In the Center

Added on by John Sturr.

Rarely do I ever put the subject in the middle of the frame - yet sometimes it is nice to stray from the typical.

Nikon 1 V1 30-110mm